Crispy Masala Dosa & Dosa Batter Recipe

Tap an ingredient or step to check it off.

1. 1Step 1: Soak urad dal, channa dal, and fenugreek seeds in one bowl and ponni rice in another for at least 5 hours. 20 minutes before grinding, soak poha if not using cooked rice.
2. 2Step 2: Grind drained urad dal, channa dal, and fenugreek seeds with soaked poha by adding water gradually until light and smooth.
3. 3Step 3: If the mixer heats up, pause or add a couple of ice cubes.
4. 4Step 4: Separately grind the ponni rice by gradually adding water until light and smooth.
5. 5Step 5: Mix the two batters and whisk with your hand in circular motion for 5 minutes until a thick, pourable batter.
6. 6Step 6: Ferment the batter. You could either use an Instant Pot and ferment it on yogurt mode for 8-12 hours. Or cover the container with a lid and ferment it in the oven with the light on. If your oven has a bread proof setting, use that setting to ferment your batter at 95 F overnight.
7. 7Step 7: Once fermented, add salt and adjust the thickness with a bit of water if needed. The batter should be pourable, not too thick or too thin.
8. 8Step 8: Pressure cook potatoes in the Instant Pot by adding water to the inner pot, placing a trivet on the water followed by the potatoes, then natural pressure release.
9. 9Step 9: Once cooked, allow the potatoes to cool and peel them. Mash with a potato masher.
10. 10Step 10: Heat oil or ghee in a wok or pan and temper it with asafoetida, cumin, mustard, curry leaves, turmeric, green chilies, ginger.
11. 11Step 11: Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook onions until soft and tender.
12. 12Step 12: Sprinkle the turmeric and coat the spices on the potatoes.
13. 13Step 13: Switch off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves and keep the masala aside for the dosas.
14. 14Step 14: Heat a cast iron tawa or a good non-stick pan on medium-high. Once hot, lightly grease and wipe with a cut onion or a paper towel to even out the surface.
15. 15Step 15: Pour a ladle of batter in the center and quickly spread it out in circles into a thin dosa. Don’t press too hard once it starts cooking or it can tear.
16. 16Step 16: Drizzle a little oil or ghee around the edges and a few drops on top. Let it cook until the bottom turns golden and crisp and the top looks set.
17. 17Step 17: Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of potato masala in the center or slightly off-center and spread gently.
18. 18Step 18: Fold the dosa over the masala (roll or fold into a triangle), let it sit on the tawa for another 20–30 seconds for extra crispness, then serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.